The principles driving our criminal justice system are only a single step removed from what they were centuries ago. Before, just about any crime under the Sun was a capital offense. Commit a crime and forfeit your life. No matter how barbaric this might seem, America has not quite outgrown this mentality. The only difference is that instead of killing the offender they are sent to one of the hundreds of modern day dungeons no one likes to talk about. Punishment is meted out at the very beginning of a case without any consideration for how someone may change over the course of years or decades. The prison system is about punishment and retribution, not rehabilitation and absolution. What an offender is sentenced to they will do, absent a miracle. At least that is how it has been since the considerable force of capitalism has entered the criminal justice arena. Yet, times are slowly changing, and more people are beginning to believe that many are worthy of a second chance. Second chances, however, are still very hard to come by, and for that reason Michael Glidden is asking for your help.

Mike was arrested when he was twenty years old for taking a man's life. Back then Mike was a young stupid impetuous man who fled to drugs and alcohol to cope with the troubles of life. Bad decisions were a way of life for him. Upon being apprehended Mike admitted to shooting Daniel one time in response to Daniel's belligerent and aggressive behavior. Being trained to always seek the highest penalty the State charged Mike with first degree murder. Within a few months the State offered him a twenty-two year prison sentence. Still being young and stupid Mike rejected that offer. He told his lawyer that he wasn't going to go to prison for longer than he had been alive.'' Yet, after sitting in the Pasco County Jail for two years Mike decided to do just that. He plead guilty to second degree murder and received a sentence of thirty years with a twenty-five year minimum mandatory. Due to the nature of the laws controlling early release Mike will have to serve 28 years and 9 months before being released.

When someone enters Florida's prison system they don't have a lot of options on what to do with their time. Contrary to what many people believe prison in America is not designed to rehabilitate, its true purpose is simply to warehouse human beings. With such an objective it is little wonder why so many antisocial activities are available. An offender can't receive an education but they can join a gang. They can't get a paying job and learn to provide for themselves, but they can gamble all day providing they have someone out there to support them. Creativity is curtailed while drug use is cultivated. Responsibility...well you can forget about that: prisoners do have to make their bed every day, but how that sole task will instill a sense of responsibility is anyone's guess. Suffice to say, for those incarcerated there is little incentive to do the right thing which is precisely why the overwhelming majority choose to do the wrong thing. However, as is in every case in life, there is a choice, and finally, somehow, Mike managed to make the right decision.

Mike will be the first to tell you that going to prison was the best thing that ever happened in his life. It forced him to get himself together while at same time allowing him to break free from the chains that had bound him for so long in the free world. During the first few years Mike was lost, having fallen into a dismal pit so dark not a single pinprick of light existed. With time, however, he grew. He realized that he had two options: play cards, workout, read books, and complain while hoping for some miracle to get him out of prison. Or accept where he was, and begin developing the skills necessary to ensure that he would be able to accomplish good things without ever having to worry about returning to prison again. It occurred to him that it would be a tragedy to leave prison as ignorant as he came in, and it was then that he decided to make the most of the time he had been given.

Since that day all those years ago Mike has come a very long way. He has never received a disciplinary report and has been sober for a very long time. He has taken several programs designed to rehabilitate. Despite being ineligible for vocational classes (due to the length of his sentence), Mike has completed two computer classes designed to provide a comprehensive understanding of some basic programs such as Word, Excel, and Photoshop. In 2013 Mike became an institutional law clerk, the most demanding job available in the prison system. Since then he has continuously maintained that position at three different institutions. This job has equipped him with more than enough experience to walk into any law firm and walk out with gainful employment. He has also taught himself about the financial markets, and the fundamental principles of investing. He spent two years in the Draft Picks Gavel Club where he learned public speaking skills. He has taken a couple college courses including Introduction to Psychology, and Constitutional Law through the Miami-Dade Inside Out college program. Last but not least Mike has spent a great deal of time developing his writing skills and has the potential to become an excellent author, editor, or both. In sum, he has worked diligently to prepare himself for the day he will be allowed to reenter society, and will not be a burden on anyone.

If given a second chance Mike will hit the ground running. He has more than enough skills to get a decent paying job. In addition to being equipped to take care of himself Mike wants to get back to the community by beginning a mentoring program for errant youths. Having made so many bad decisions himself, and not having anyone to look up to, he knows how important it is to have just one positive role model you can turn to when trying to find yourself. Simply put, Mike wants to be the type of man others will be proud to know; the type of man that is known for bringing something to the table rather than inviting himself to dinner.

Finally, Mike is sorry for his actions. He has been trying to apologize to Mr. Killer's family for a long time. Moreover, regret has been his primary impetus to become a better man. He understands the past cannot be changed, but knows that his actions moving forward have the ability to make the future a better place.

Perhaps all of this is not enough to mitigate his responsibility of serving the remainder of  his sentence. However, this is a man who, despite getting off to an egregious start, has worked very hard to redeem himself. This year, Mike will be seeking to have his sentence commuted to the twenty-two years he was originally offered. Commutations are very rarely granted, and we are seeking people to support Mike in this endeavor. We are asking for you to add your name to this Petition and show that you believe Mike is worth giving a second chance to.